The June Proceedings traditionally publishes extra coverage on submarines and submarine warfare. We feature each of the warfare communities during the year. This issue’s submarine offerings are wide-ranging—from the lead article by Vice Admiral James Foggo and Dr. Alarik Fritz identifying the current “Fourth Battle for the Atlantic,” to Lieutenant Jeff Vandenengel making a case for arming U.S. submarines with subsurface-to-air missiles, to Ensign Gavin Fuller outlining how the submarine has replaced the aircraft force in the U.S. fleet.
This issue also benefits from great content generated by the essay contests. The winner in the Enlisted Prize Essay Contest, sponsored with Textron Systems, advances a way naval professionals can help bridge the military-civilian gap at the grassroots level. The first winner of the NPS Foundation/U.S. Naval Institute Annual Essay Contest Award makes the case that offensive cyber operations are not what they are cracked up to be. And the Capstone Essay Contest gives voice to four newly commissioned offers in the Navy and Marine Corps.
The issue leads off with three powerful standing columns. In “Now Hear This,” CNO John Richardson and Lieutenant Ashley O’Keefe challenge the profession to “Read. Write. Fight.” Petty Officer Harrison Goforth in “From the Deckplates” calls for Block 43 on the enlisted evaluation to truly assess our sailors so the very best get promoted. And Captain Kevin Eyer wonders if Admiral William McRaven’s recent shot across Congress’ bow might be setting the stage for a larger fight in “The Second Revolt of the Admirals?”
The good news continues for Proceedings and its readers. Two longtime contributors and proven naval professionals will join the editorial team in the next few months: Navy Captains David (Dave) Adams (left, top) and William (Bill) Hamblet (left, bottom).
Dave began his naval career as an enlisted sailor. An accomplished submariner who commanded the USS Santa Fe (SSN-763) and Georgia (SSGN-729), Dave also served in Afghanistan, commanding the Provincial Reconstruction Team Khost. Dave first published in Proceedings in May 1997. His writing skills clearly came through in essay contests that were judged in the blind by the Editorial Board. Dave won two First Prizes (1997, 2007) in the General Prize Essay Contest, First Prize in the Leadership Essay Contest (1998), and First Prize in the Colin Powell Joint Warfighting Essay Contest (2000). Many of Dave’s contributions delivered on the “dare factor” we are trying to bring to the pages of Proceedings. Dave will be the Deputy Editor-in-Chief.
Bill first published in Proceedings as a lieutenant with “All Strike Fighters for the Air Wing” in February 1993. He also served on the Editorial Board and Board of Directors. In 1994, then-Lieutenant Hamblet defined professional integrity when he stood up for the Proceedings open forum when the then-President of the Naval Institute—who also happened to be the CNO—took issue with the publication of a “Nobody Asked Me, But . . .” by a lieutenant who questioned why Navy leaders did not fight for Admiral Stan Arthur when his nomination to be Commander-in-Chief Pacific was held up in Congress over political correctness. Fortunately, for the Naval Institute and this editor, Bill and other members of the Editorial Board carried the day. Bill will be the Executive Editor for Digital Content.
These two naval professionals are going to move Proceedings to new heights and bring more of its content to its readers online between the monthly print issues.
Fred H. Rainbow
Editor-in-Chief
Life Member since 1976